Smart One revolves around Jude, a brilliant and successful woman (Portia de Rossi) who begrudgingly goes to work for Candy, her less-brainy but more popular sister -- a former beauty queen, weather girl and now big-city mayor (Malin Akerman).

As first reported by TV Line, Arquette will play Candy's husband, Buddy.

Donald Todd will pen the project and executive produce alongside Lauren Corrao and de Rossi's wife, Ellen DeGeneres. Better Off Ted's Michael Fresco will reunite with de Rossi to exec produce and helm the pilot.

The casting comes after the former Dancing With the Stars contestant, with wife Courteney Cox, had a pair of comedy projects in development at NBC and ABC, neither of which were ordered to pilot. With Cox, he also has a game show pilot, Identity Crisis, set up at CBS, and will guest star on the season three finale of ABC comedy, Cougar Town -- which he executive produces.